Much of our learning in life comes from a consistent curiosity. Sometimes it can take years before we have an epiphany about something that may have puzzled us in the past. Experiencing that feeling of calm satisfaction wash over us after the initial spark of understanding is sometimes known as “Zen.” Other words associated with “Zen” include contemplation, meditation and absorption. That feeling of understanding — enlightenment by direct intuition through meditation — can happen unexpectedly after wracking our brains for hours under pressure to solve a critical path issue or years later after giving up on something that got the best of us.
Recently, I experienced Zen-type enlightenment at an ASPE (American Society of Plumbing Engineers) meeting. The speaker was giving a presentation on water quality, and while a lot of what he was saying was familiar, there were a few things that were new and some things that finally “clicked.” Those “aha” moments are what keep us going sometimes.